in theory, the benefits of a speedy trial not only accrue to the accused but also to the accusers and the public at large.
could trump request that the senate as trier of law as well as fact in the matter, take judicial notice of the house articles, and then dismiss them purely on 6a grounds (via a writ of mandamus, perhaps)?
trump is being accused in his office as president, so at least in some sense, the office of the president deserves a speedy trial, otherwise the lack of a speedy trial risks hamstringing the business of 1/3 of the federal government. this in turn can have adverse effects on all citizens.
making the argument directly to the senate would in theory short circuit any issue related to roberts.
We really don’t want the Houses of Congress sticking their noses or fingers into each other’s business.
That’s more important than any other factor here. It’s a venerable tradition. Probably as old as England’s parliament.
Sorry Nancy is attacking that very tradition with her media-supported flummery but that’s the way it is.
As far as the Senate is concerned nothing happens in the House until the House informs them.
Setting aside the detail errors (6a has no application, not a criminal trial; "mandamus" is the name of a judicial writ), what you propose is an inversion of the usual process.
I won't say it can't be done, because everything in the way this case is proceeding is unprecedented.
Anyway, what you are suggesting is that the accused, the defendant, present himself to the court sans accusation and accuser. Would the senate entertain that sort of move? There is no precedent, no procedure to do this.
But a senate committee could take up Trump's defense and hold hearings, call witnesses, and so on. That creates a record in the Senate.
Right now, I'm of a mind to let this fester. I think it hurts Nancy and the DEMs more than it hurts Trump. A number of DEMs are sensing that the public is puzzled at best by Nancy's maneuver.
I checked all the precedents, and what Pelosi is doing is truly unprecedented. The house might wait a few days to name managers, but it always plays the roles designed into the impeachment process, including taking the initiative to take its case to the senate.